Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Don’t laugh at me, but…

When I entered my teenage years my grandmother had started using a magnifying glass to see the small print on various items: medicine bottles, footnotes in books, instructions, etc. I recall chuckling a little when she started having to do it and, on the other hand, I was amazed at how my spry, quick, intelligent, loving and boisterous Mom Mom was aging.

My Mom Mom, who was my dad’s mother, died in the late 90s. But her memories, some of her belongings, sayings and love linger in my heart. … That magnifying glass she has is lingering here as well. I’ve kept that thing for more than 10 years now. I figured that my children may need it for science projects or fun family experiments with the sun. And, I couldn’t make myself get rid of it because it’s something my grandmother always had around her. It’s a piece of her…

Today, I was trying to read the small print on the back of a bottle of mouthwash. (Why I was doing that is an entirely different story.) I moved the bottle back and forth from my eyes – closers… further away… under the light… angled. Nothing worked.

Then I thought of the magnifying glass that was sitting on my shelf in the office. In fact, I just put it on the shelf yesterday because I couldn’t decide where to put it or if I should give it away. I picked it up and held it in front of my face as I had seen my grandmother do a thousand times. Wow, was the print clear and easy to read. I’ve been avoiding that for quite some time now… Not too long ago I mentioned to the eye doctor that the print on things is getting smaller. He said, “No, you’re getting old!”

Humph! I thought.

Even with an up-to-date prescription with invisible bifocals (don’t tell anyone!), I still have trouble seeing certain things. When my 19-year-old daughter is around I ask her to read stuff, I stand close to a window or I give up. As time goes on, I’ll get my younger children to read to me.

For now I guess I’ll use the magnifying glass when I really need to although I’m not going to let anyone see me do it. As I’m using it I won’t think of how old I’m getting; I’ll just think of all the sweet and funny moments with my grandmother. … She would probably laugh at me!